TRAVEL TIPS    HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM BECOMING A CRIME VICTIM AND AVOID PROBLEMS WHILE TRAVELING By Judith Albright   About the Author A travel specialist and world traveler whose career in the industry has spanned more than 30 years, Judith Albright is a professional writer and president of Notebook Publications, a company that publishes books and directories to help travelers get the most from their trips. Over the years she has authored and published numerous informative articles, books and directories.  The tips are the result of her numerous travel experiences and those of her friends, co-workers and clients. Useful Web Resources Whether traveling for business or pleasure, you want to feel as safe as you do at home. None of us ever wants to believe we could be victims of a crime during a trip, yet it happens to people everywhere in the world every day. The less you know about how criminals operate, the more at risk you are while traveling outside your known environment.  While no one is “crime proof,  there are many actions and precautions you can take to make you less of a target and to decrease your chances of encountering unpleasant or dangerous situations. Planning Your Trip 1.  Research your destinations carefully. No matter how experienced a traveler you are, visiting foreign countries means exposure to many different people, philosophies, and worldviews. 2.  Familiarize yourself with the culture and rules of the society you will be visiting. If you do not understand them, you are putting yourself at risk. 3.  Check the expiration date of your passport. You may need to renew it.  Some countries will not allow you to enter if your passport will expire within a few months. 4.  Examine the effective dates of your visa if you are traveling to a country that requires one. Many countries use the date format of day/month/year. (This could be critical in the early months of the year.) If you arrive in the wrong month you may be denied entry. 5.  Contact the U.S. State Department and the CDC (Center for Disease Control) when planning a trip to third world or politically troubled countries.  Both provide travel advisories, recommended vaccinations, and current information on outbreaks of disease. 6.  Make sure your will and personal papers are in good order, and that family and heirs know the location of your insurance policies, safety deposit box, and other documents. 7.  Notify credit card companies that you are planning to travel, especially if you are leaving the country or will be gone for long periods of time. Some companies will suspend your card without notice if they spot unusual spending patterns. Preparing for Departure 8   .    Photocopy your itinerary and leave copies with friends or relatives who may need to reach you in an emergency.       9.      Write down important phone numbers of people to contact in case of an emergency (doctor, dentist, pharmacist, credit card companies, etc.) and keep them hidden in your luggage. 10.    Make photocopies of your passport, driver’s license and your credit cards each time you travel internationally.       11.    Leave one set of photocopies at home with a friend of relative and conceal the second set in your luggage.  If you are robbed or lose your passport, the copies will enable you to get a new one within 24 hours instead of the usual 7 days. 12.    Have several passport-sized photos made to take along. It can be difficult to get replacements on short notice if your passport is lost or stolen. 13.    Take travelers checks instead of carrying large amounts of cash. 14.    Buy travelers checks in the currencies of the countries you will be visiting. Travelers checks issued in US dollars may be difficult to cash in some c       countries. 15.    Record the numbers of your traveler’s checks and keep the list in a separate place. 16.    Purchase travel insurance. If your trip is interrupted or cancelled, you can at least recover some of your money. 17.    Remove any unnecessary items from your wallet. Outside the U.S. you will not need your social security card, department store credit cards etc. 18.    Take only your driver’s license and one or two major credit cards. 19.    Remove baggage tags from previous trips to avoid confusion. 20.    Replace your good watch with a cheap one and wear it throughout your trip. If you are robbed or lose it, the loss will be of little consequence. 21.    Dress conservatively and leave expensive jewelry and other valuables at home. If you can’t afford to lose it, don’t take it with you. 22.    Replace the padlocks that came with your suitcase with sturdier ones. 23.    Attach small bells to your carry on bag, if someone tries to move it, you will hear.       24.    Place a brightly colored luggage strap around your suitcase and pull it tight. It will not only help you identify your bag, it will protect your suitcase from breaking open. It will also help thwart thieves who count on quick and easy access to a bag’s contents.       25.    List your business information or the address of your local police station on luggage tags instead of revealing your home address. Put the same identification inside your bag as well.       26.    Pack anything you can’t live without in your carry-on bag (i.e. money, medications, extra glasses, contact lens, keys or travel documents.) Include a change of clothes. If the airline loses your checked luggage, you will still have your basic necessities. 27.    Take an extra supply of medications and a copy of all your prescriptions including your eyeglasses. 28.    Keep all medicines in their original containers for easy identification by custom officials. At the Airport 29.    Arrive at the airport at least an hour before domestic flights and two hours before international flights. 30.    Check your bags as early as possible to ensure they will not only be loaded onto your originating flight, but on any connecting flights as well. 31.    Make sure your luggage is locked and in view at all times.       32.    Remain attentive and avoid distractions. A bag placed casually at your feet or on a baggage cart while you are talking on the telephone or to a ticket agent is an easy target. 33.    Ensure that you have a clear path through the gate before placing your possessions on the conveyer belt at security check.       34.    Focus your attention on anyone who tries to crowd in front of you at security check, especially if you are carrying a laptop. Statistics indicate that the greatest number of laptop thefts occur in the airport, primarily at the security gate.       35.    Beware of pickpockets who prey on travelers in airport terminals. They often have an accomplice who will jostle you, ask for directions, or otherwise divert your attention.       36.    Hold fanny packs and purses tightly in front of you, especially on crowded airport trains or busses where passengers must stand. Both are favorite targets of thieves. 37.    Keep details about your trip and your home address to yourself. While part of the fun of traveling is talking to fellow travelers, revealing too many details and personal information is unwise. You have no way of knowing to whom they might divulge this information or for what purpose. 38.    Check in at the airport as quickly as possible if you are traveling in a politically unstable country. Go immediately through security to the boarding area. 39.    Avoid busy ticket counters and other public places where numbers of people are gathered. Crowds in airports are favorite targets of terrorists. 40.    Indulge your curiosity, but keep your distance from celebrities or events that are causing a commotion or attracting a lot of attention. 41.    Sit away from trash receptacles or storage lockers where explosives can easily be deposited. 42.    Avoid sitting next to windows where you could be injured by shattering glass in the event of gunfire or an explosion. At Your Destination 43.    Clear customs and immigration as quickly as possible after arriving in a foreign country. 44.    Report lost luggage immediately. Be prepared to provide a complete list of contents and a detailed description of your bag. 45.    Look purposeful and confident as you walk outside. Criminals searching for victims look for uncertainty, hesitancy and confusion. 46.    Beware of drivers in unmarked cars claiming to be cab drivers. 47.    Conceal cameras, especially if they are expensive. A camera hanging around your neck clearly labels you a tourist.       48.    Be especially alert in crowds. The most frequent sites for purse, bag or camera snatching are airports, train, subway and bus stations, crowded            nightclubs and shopping areas. 49.    Adopt local practices whenever possible. Ask the locals about customs and traditions, and then act accordingly. 50.    Ask which taxi companies to use and which to avoid. 51.    Rent a car that is common in each locale and which cannot be easily identified as a rental. 52.    Keep your doors locked and your luggage out of sight while driving. 53.    Ask the locals which parts of town are considered risky, then avoid driving through them, especially at night. 54.    Refrain from looking at maps in your car or on the street. This is a dead giveaway that you are from out of town.       55.    Remove everything from cars parked overnight in hotel or motel parking lots. Cars with out-of-state or foreign license plates are prime targets for thieves. 56.    Stay in well-lit areas and avoid short cuts, side streets or dark narrow alleys if you must be out alone or on foot at night. 57.    Keep just enough money accessible to meet your immediate needs. Large rolls of money attract attention. 58.    Conceal most of your money and your passport in a sock wallet, pouch or money belt worn under your clothing. 59.    Avoid carrying a handbag whenever possible. If a thief tries to snatch it your arm or shoulder could be injured. 60.    Be careful with backpacks. Many a thief has gotten away with slitting a hole in the bottom, allowing the contents to spill out unnoticed. 61.    Use ATMs only during daylight hours when other people are nearby. 62.    Lock the right-hand door of your car at drive-up ATMs to keep anyone from climbing in while you are busy using the machine. 63.    Keep bills in quantities or large denominations concealed when making purchases or exchanging currency. 64.    Return your money to your wallet before turning around and leaving an ATM machine or a cash register after a making a purchase in a store. 65.    Count your money only in the privacy of your room and not in a public place where both you and your money can easily be seen.       66.    Check each country’s passport regulations. Some may require you to keep your passport with you at all times. If not, carry only a photocopy when you leave your hotel and lock the original in a hotel safety deposit box.       67.    Keep purses and briefcases in view or where you can easily touch them.  Thieves work hotel bars and restaurants waiting for unknowing guests to place items on or beside chairs or under tables.       68.    Avoid draping the straps of shoulder bags over the corner of a chair where they can easily be lifted off by anyone passing by.       69.    Place valuables between your feet or hold them in your lap when using a public restroom. Items placed on inside hooks or near the door are easily snatched.       70.    Try to avoid groups of vagrant children in foreign countries who are often expert criminals. While one tries to divert your attention another will pick your pocket       71.    Beware of scam artists posing as undercover policemen who ask to see your money to determine if it is counterfeit.       72.    Be alert to scams involving an unknown person spilling a drink or food on your clothing. An accomplice may be preparing to steal your wallet, purse or briefcase while you are distracted. At the Hotel       73.    Make hotel reservations in advance and secure them with a credit card. If area facilities are over-crowded when you arrive, you could find yourself stranded in unfamiliar surroundings or in an unsafe room in substandard accommodations.       74.    Park in a well-lit area as close to the lobby as possible if you arrive by car. Or, use valet parking, but make sure the attendant does not put a card on the dashboard revealing your room number.       75.    Stay with your luggage until it is brought into the lobby when arriving by bus or taxi.       76.    Ask the bell captain to store your luggage in a locked storage room if you arrive early in the day, your room is not ready, and you are planning to go out.       77.    Keep your credit card in your wallet or in your hand while you complete a hotel registration form.  Avoid leaving it face up on the counter.       78.    Make sure the credit card that is handed back to you by the hotel clerk is really yours.       79.    Ask for two business cards or matchbooks imprinted with the hotel name and address. Keep one by your phone and carry the other with you in case you get lost or need to give the address to a taxi driver who does not speak your language.       80.    Place your room key close to the bed or in the same place each time. If you have to leave in an emergency, you won’t have time to search for it and will need it to get back into your room.       81.    Ask for a different room or have the electronic key card changed if you lose your key.       82.    Avoid leaving your hotel key unattended on tabletops in restaurants or with your towel at swimming pools where it can easily be stolen.       83.     Keep your door locked using both the bolt and the chain whenever you are in your room, especially when you are sleeping or in the shower.       84.    Bring your own rubber doorstopper and wedge it firmly on the inside of the door for added security.  Even if the chain or lock is broken, the door will not budge.       85.    Keep your door closed at all times. Propping your door open, even for a few minutes, invites trouble.  Anyone can walk in.       86.    Call the front desk immediately if someone knocks on your door unannounced claiming to be hotel staff needing to check something in your room. Before you open the door, verify that this individual was actually sent by someone in authority.       87.    Use the peephole before you open your door to anyone. If the person is a stranger or looks suspicious, do not respond. If the person is armed, you could be forced to remove the chain and open the door. 88.    Avoid identifying yourself on the telephone, particularly when you are traveling alone.       89.    Leave a light and the radio or television on when you are away from your room to give the impression the room is occupied. As an extra precaution, place the “Do Not Disturb” sign on your door when going out for the evening. 90.    Do nothing to indicate you are not around, such as leaving a note or hanging the “Please Make Up the Room Sign” on your door. 91.    Keep valuables concealed, especially laptops, expensive cameras, money or jewelry. Leave nothing lying around your room in plain sight. 92.    Leave your valuables in the hotel’s safety deposit box, or lock them in the room safe when you plan to be away from your room for long periods of time. 93.    Advise the front desk when you are planning to be out late, and tell them when you expect to return. 94.    Use the hotel’s main entrance when returning late at night. Safe Traveling Everywhere 95.    Use common sense in all circumstances— it is your most effective weapon against crime. 96.    Keep a positive attitude and don’t borrow trouble. Whatever you would not do at home, don’t do away from home either. 97.    Arm yourself with knowledge and travel with an open mind. 98.    Project self-confidence and purpose rather than fear or vulnerability. Remember you get what you expect. 99.    Remain alert to others and your surroundings at all times.      100.  Contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate if you do become the victim of a crime in a foreign country. A duty officer is on-call 24-hours a day to assist with emergencies and help you find a hospital or doctor if needed.      101.  Blend in. dress moderately and avoid looking like a tourist no matter where you travel! Useful Web Resources U.S. State Department http://travel.state.gov U.S. Embassies www.embassyweb.com Center for Disease Control www.cdc.gov Global Emergency Medical Services www.globalems.com Hotel Doctors (in-room treatment) www.hoteldocs.com Master Card ATM Locations www.mastercard.com/atm Visa ATM Locations www.visa.com National Security Institute www.nsi.org